Beyond Gold
A personal poem about the impact of certain jewelry pieces have. All photography is the writer’s.
Every piece of jewelry that adorns her
Means something
Something that no one knows but her
Something beyond a materialistic sentiment
The necklaces, earrings, nose ring, bracelets, and rings
All apart of her identity
Apart from the people, she surrounds herself with
She wears her country around her neck
A simple gold chain
Bought with love from her Mom's recent travels to the homeland
The earrings are ones she's never taken off since birth
Given to her by her grandmother to give her a piece of her
Shimmering in the sunlight and uniquely hammered
With a sense of cultural tradition behind it
A Pakistani tradition of gifting a piece of gold to a newborn to elevate her nationality
The gold nose ring, a statement like no other
A statement of rebellion in most cultures
But in hers, a sense of tradition that began in the 16the century
One meant to enhance the beauty of a woman
The small stud with a gold exterior and a diamond stud gleams in the sun
Gleams so bright it is the first thing people see when they meet her
The accessories on her wrists
Two cuffs with Arabic inscriptions
One with the world ‘allhumdillah' meaning "thank god"
Given to her by her cousins
A short saying that has always had a big impact on her
Always kept her going through the rough patches in life
Another translating to "stand on the battlefront of your dreams and fight for it" given to her by a close friend who constantly inspires her
Inspires her to chase after anything and everything she desires in life
To always put up a good fight before giving up
One watch that her mother received on her wedding day
A day so monumental she wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that day
It's the unlikely shape and inability to show time are what draws her to wear it
Reminding her that all great things aren't molded into the norm
And that everything comes at its own time
Lastly her gold ring
One she never takes off
Even if it suffocates her finger
Or she has to force it onto another finger to wear it some days
Given to her by her grandmother and late grandfather
She allows it to be a reminder of her wise, loving, caring, and charitable grandfather
Who no matter what she did love her dearly
It's a reminder for her to keep on pushing forth
To become someone he would be proud to call his granddaughter
Someone who impacts the world positively
These pieces are beyond a simple statement
They've been given with love
And soon she'll be adorned head to toe in sets of gold on her wedding day
As a parting gift
To remind her she is worth more than she knows
Strike Out,
Writer and Photographer: Saadiyah Qureshi
Editors: Gillian McKendree and Savannah Tindall
Tallahassee